Page 113 of Unrivaled

“It sounds like you’re looking at this as an opportunity,” Erika said neutrally through the speaker.

“Absolutely.” Natalie set aside her smoothie cup. “I want to make clear up front that we don’t expect Grady’s on-ice behavior to change. However, if you’re comfortable playing up the angles—speaking about the personal relationship between yourself and Lockhart, positive or negative….”

Grady blinked. Positive or negative? That sort of sounded like they didn’t care what was going on with the two of them either way.

Erika cleared her throat. “I need a moment with my client, please. Grady, pick up the phone and take it off speaker.”

He did.

“Okay,” Erika said. “On the one hand, this is good. This lays the groundwork for you being able to do and say what you want about Max and having management’s tacit approval. On the other hand, we want to make sure they’re not going to feed you lines to say to generate clicks when those may work against your personal interests. Do you understand?”

Thank God he had an agent to navigate this shit for him. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

“So I don’t want you to agree to anything yet. I’m going to have them put what they want in writing and send it to me, and we’ll have our lawyers look at it, and then you and I will talk. It’s possible they’re going to talk merchandise, and if they do, you and Max should each get a cut of it. The deal may not be done by the game tomorrow. Don’t agree verbally or sign anything until you and I have talked.”

“I won’t.”

“Great. And Grady?”

“Yes?”

“Next time you decide to fall in love with another hockey player, don’t let me find out from the internet.”

Grady’s cheeks heated. “Kind of hoping this is the last time.”

“Mazel tov. Okay, you can put me on speaker again.”

The rest of the team had cleared out by the time the meeting ended. Grady drove himself home wondering if Max had had a similar experience of his own—but he didn’t have to wonder for long.

His phone rang.

Grady stabbed the button to take the call on the car speakers.

“So,” Max said, “did you have the same talk I just did?”

Grady signaled a lane change and slowed way down. The delay in leaving practice meant he’d hit traffic. Well, worse traffic than usual. “The one where our respective front offices think our relationship means dollar signs?”

“Yeah, I mean, I know we’re commodities, but this is a whole new level. On the other hand, it seems like they’re going to let us do whatever and not interfere.”

“That was the impression I got too.” Considering that only a few years ago the whole league would’ve flipped its shit over a player coming out, never mind two of them dating each other, Grady couldn’t complain much. Maybe he should write Baller a thank-you note. “Like their own personal soap opera or something.”

“Hey, if it works for pro wrestling,” Max said wryly. “So… I’ll see you tomorrow?”

Grady puffed out his cheeks. He wanted to sayNo, come over tonight. But he shouldn’t. He didn’t want to wonder if he’d have had a better night’s sleep with Max out of the house, or if Max had sabotaged him somehow. He knew Max wouldn’t, but he didn’t trust himself not to have a weak moment and blame Max anyway, and ruin everything.

“Tomorrow,” Grady said. “Bring your A game.”

Overtime

WHEN MAXwalked into the Fishtank for his first home game, he could feel the electricity in the air crackling along his skin.

The locker room buzzed with anticipation. Max was buzzing too, not only with anticipation but with nerves. The last time he’d played against Grady, things had gone to shit. He needed tonight to go well to prove to himself—and Grady—that playing on rival teams wasn’t a deal-breaking obstacle for their relationship.

No pressure.

Bishop bumped his fist as he headed into the workout room for the first part of his warmup routine. “Ready for this?”

Guess we’ll find out.“Always.”

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